Semi-detached house / two-family house floor plan optimization

Hello,

we (siblings) want to build a duplex or two-family house. The two halves of the duplex should be the same size, but our idea was to create a two-family house through a shared utility room. However, there are some requirements in the development plan and we are becoming increasingly uncertain whether our plan even makes sense.

Possible would be, for example, a duplex with about 15.5 m width and 12 m length. The ridge direction must run from east to west. The living area should be about 140 m².

Size of the plot: 765 m²
Slope: -
Site coverage ratio:
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Building window, building line and boundary: see building window
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2 full floors
Roof type: gable roof
Style direction: duplex
Orientation: terrace/garden faces south
Maximum heights/limits: TH 4.7 m FH 11.70 m
Further requirements: boundary development

Owners’ requirements
Style direction, roof type, building type: duplex with gable roof - nothing else is allowed
Basement, floors: 2 full floors without basement
Number of persons, age: 2 persons / 30 / 33
Room requirements on ground floor, upper floor: work/guest room, open living-dining-kitchen area, toilet with shower on ground floor, storage room, generous cloakroom area - upper floor: 2 children's rooms, bedroom with dressing room and balcony, large bathroom with bathtub
Overnight guests per year: approx. 3-4 times
Open or closed architecture: rather open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, cooking island: yes, possibly peninsula as partition with counter
Number of seats at dining table: 6 permanently - extendable to 8 - 10
Fireplace: not necessary
Music/stereo wall: -
Balcony, roof terrace: balcony facing south (bedroom) desired
Garage, carport: garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: -
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why this or that should or should not be:
We have an unobstructed view to the south, which will remain unobstructed. You can look directly onto the field. Therefore, a large window front should be created to the south on the ground floor. To the north, there is a single-family house that will remain. Everything else can be demolished.

House design
By whom is the planning done:
- Construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?
Living-kitchen-dining area, spacious and open design.
What do you not like? Why?
Almost no windows possible due to boundary building - possibly dormers? Is it even possible to really get light in?
Price estimate according to architect/planner: 350k€
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment: 400k€
Preferred heating technology: brine-water heat pump

If you have to do without, on which details/extensions
- you can do without: fireplace, guest room on the ground floor, balcony on the upper floor
- you cannot do without: storage room, large sliding elements in the living room, large cloakroom area

Why has the design become what it is now? e.g.
Standard design from the planner adapted to our conditions (windows only possible on two sides).
Corresponding/which wishes were implemented by the architect: cloakroom area, pantry, large bathroom
What makes it particularly good or bad in your opinion: window problem solved quite well, but it seems too "run-of-the-mill".

We are actually quite satisfied with the design but have not had much contact with the topic of building and probably overlook many things. Originally, a straight staircase was planned, but we were told that this is not reasonable. In addition, we wanted to access the attic via a proper staircase, which was also discouraged several times.

Thank you very much for your help!

Are the furniture just placed like that or is this already the final furnishing plan? And is the furniture to scale? They at least seem quite bulky.

On the ground floor, you are creating a hurdle/bottleneck directly in front of the only entrance to the living area with the sofa. I find that quite impractical. Also, the space between the sofa and the dining table could seem quite tight if you don’t want to push the dining table directly against the wall. Opening up the kitchen and then blocking it with base cabinets again also seems unwise to me. That could look quite makeshift (or is some kind of pass-through intended here?).

Thank you for the response. The furniture is drawn in by the planner and should definitely not remain like that. The kitchen should be closed off at most halfway. In any case, it should be possible to walk through.

You don't sound very enthusiastic. What do you see when you imagine life in the new house? Does that fit with it?

Yes, through many different statements we have become so uncertain by now and are considering whether it can be realized the way we would like. Especially the problem with the windows is currently pushing me to my limits.

Yes, due to many different statements, we are now so unsettled and are considering whether it can be realized the way we would like.

I am probably not alone with the feeling that "the way we would like it" is not as easy as it sounds ;-)

Especially the problem with the windows is currently pushing me to my limits.

Tell me more about the plot and the development conditions. On the one hand, I am irritated by the two-sided boundary development / lack of windows, and on the other hand by the statement that only one semi-detached house is permissible.